Are they eating enough?

My boys are nearly one year adjusted and gaining weight just fine. They've pretty much grown at the same trajectory as since the beginning, though both "improved" on charts at their 12m appt.

But I'm getting anxious about how much they're eating. It seems like they eat okay, some days lots, some days little, and they're good at rejecting food when they're full/bored. I try to eyeball the amount that they eat and add in extra calories where I can, but it's impossible to really tell how many calories they're getting, especially when I might be wiping half of it off the tray after the meal!

They get whole milk in a sippy cup at every meal, and still get 2x4oz "snack" bottles a day, a bedtime bottle, and one overnight, so they're getting enough "milk." But are they getting enough solids? They also have teeth coming in right now that are REALLY bugging them.

Example:
8am: share a wholegrain waffle (lightly buttered) + egg
10am: cheese string + 4oz formula
12pm: maybe some pasta (beef tortellini, wheat spinach ravioli, something like that), chopped cooked veggies, diced fruit
3pm: "dessert" tofu or cottage cheese with pureed apricots/pears/etc. + 4oz formula
6pm: maybe something like a piece of french toast, homemade stew, sweet potato fries, etc.

When I try to work out the calories, it ends up being maybe 500 of solids per day. Aren't they supposed to be getting 1000/day or something like that? They get a good variety of food (I was just making up a possible day), and they don't seem to be having any problems, but it's so easy to be obsessive and anxious about this stuff. They're very active and mostly still napping twice a day. Like I said, they're gaining weight fine, so I know I shouldn't worry so much.

Any suggestions to get them to eat more/drink less?

 

My first suggestion would be to cut out the overnight bottle. Start decreasing the amount in it, or watering it down so it doesn't taste as good. By this age, unless there is a weight issue, they shouldn't need an overnight bottle anymore.

Second suggestion....TRY NOT TO WORRY!! I know as mom's we are in the habit of counting ounces, counting calories, watching the numbers on the scale increase over the first year. But babies/kids are really really good at determining how much they need to eat. They rarely overfeed themselves, and will eat if they are hungry. Keep offering good choices for them at each meal, and they'll eat what they need The only other way to increase solid food intake is to decrease formula/liquid intake. For example, at a snack time, offer the sippy cup of milk along with the cheese and some fruit chunks, they'll eat more food and fill up less on the milk that way. But really, at this age, I think they are doing just fine I think mine were still on morning/night bottles at that age and sippy cups all through the day if I remember right. But the two snack sippy cups they would lay in my arms and drink most of them, until I started offering more foods and less milk. I know mine had bottles until close to 15 months for sure because they were my latest babies to have bottles. :lol:

 

I agree with Danielle. One of the things I still have to keep in mind with my two is that they will not starve themselves. And the other thing is, you offer the food and is their choice whether to eat it or not. It really does sound like your two are doing well with eating.

 

I totally agree about the overnight bottle at this point they should be able to go all night without a bottle or snack. 2 my 18month twins are 16.5 months adjusted roughly and they are on a major hunger strike, doc says totally normal. She told me that if they have a favorite food that week say all they will eat is mac and cheese then feed them mac and cheese, make it homemade so you can use healthy ingredents but let them have what they will eat. keep offering other things but don't worry if all they want is that fave at that time.

 

My mom always tells me to measure by weekly intake, not daily. Meaning, if they are eating a variety of foods over the course of a week and seem satisfied and are gaining weight, they are fine. They are so distract-able and arbitrary at this age that food might be a bigger priority one day than the next.

 

Something comforting to me is that they are supposed to slow down in the 2nd/3rd years. They have to- they can't triple their weight every year like the first- they'd be ginormous!

If they are satisfied and eating, peeing and pooping don't stress. They are fine.

 

Our pedi said they only need to grow 4-5 lbs in second yr. i didnt believe her but then she was right. My kids gain 1lb/3 month average. Some months they dont gain an once. But then suddenly they eat and sleep constantly for a week and gain 1-1.5 lb in a week.

I think ur kids got plenty. Dont stress out too much. As log as they grow fine and healthy, you are ok. I know its hard not to care. I used to worry about how much they ate as well. But think about it, if gain more than they need, after second yr, ther pedi will put them on diet to lose weight or slow down the weigh gain . Enjoy your kids

 

our ped said pretty much the same thing as Miriams mom. If at the end of the week you can say that they had a little from each food group you are ahead of the game. I totally found a new snack my twins like (and older dd loves) mini turkey pepperoni. Today for snack they each had a few of those, some gerber yogurt melts (trying to figure out a way to make those at home) and some grapes. so there 3 food groups in 1 snack bowl! WOOHOO SCORE LOL

 

Okay, it sounds like I'm not doing as badly as I'd feared. Today was french toast, turkey sausage and avocado for breakfast, veggies and grilled chicken pizza for lunch, and baked beans for dinner. Cottage cheese and fruit and crackers for snacks. So far, so good.

Now I just need to get their sleep under control! We actually moved one baby into a different room today. Let's hope it helps to have them separated!

 

Also, I heard of this flashcard style book called Boddler Bites that has lots of ideas for toddler friendly foods. I haven't gotten it yet but I am going to one of these days (probably should be one of these days before the twins are born, lol) but from what I saw of it, it looked really useful. I'm not sure if it's on amazon, but google it and you will find it.